What should we do with our walk way?

Bernie D'Angelo
by Bernie D'Angelo

When we moved in, it had a blacktop driveway up to the porch. My husband took out about 5 feet of it and did landscaping on both side, but still hasn’t done anything with the walkway. It’s been 4 years! Our house is orange brick. What would you do with it?

  11 answers
  • Linda Linda on Sep 02, 2018

    I would rake off the large rocks and lay in some flat slate pavers or pieces.

  • FrugalFamilyTimes.com FrugalFamilyTimes.com on Sep 02, 2018

    He’s done a beautiful job! A flagstone path in that area would look beautiful and tie in nicely with the rock borders on the beds. That’s a lot of work and can be costly - in the meantime pea gravel would cover it nicely (though can be challenging to shovel if you live in a snowy climate). :)

  • Jan Clark Jan Clark on Sep 02, 2018

    A brick-paver walkway would also do the trick, pull in the colors of the house, be easy to sweep or shovel and be a much smoother surface to walk on. There are lots of DIY instructions out there. This walkway has great bones. You're totally right that it needs a makeover.

  • Dawn Fulton Dawn Fulton on Sep 03, 2018

    I agree with Jan Clark. I would put in a brick pathway in the same style brick (or as close as possible) as the house. This would tie the two together and give it a very finished appearance. My second choice would the slate.

  • Em Em on Sep 03, 2018

    Like the brick idea but a lot more work than the larger square slabs. ( 24 square concrete slabs) Other option is the larger concrete stepping squares that tie in the porch steps lined with brick that ties in the house brick. Faster than all brick.

  • Jam9123340 Jam9123340 on Sep 03, 2018

    Putting in grass with a paver walkway would tie the yard together and easy to shovel

  • Janmarie Halliday Janmarie Halliday on Sep 03, 2018

    I would start at what your need is (traffic), then the look and color you like. Is used gravel in a few areas and I like the look and maintenance is easy. Not perfect for high traffic though. I also had artificial grass put in a small area and love it. So far, it is holding up well with medium traffic. There is brick, pavers, compacted sand and more. I would also check the drainage and grade as needed. Don’t wait for Hubble, you can do a lot of things yourself!

    • Bernie D'Angelo Bernie D'Angelo on Sep 05, 2018

      He plows snow on the walkway so I don’t know about some of those things. About doing it myself I’m 68 years old and can’t lift big heavy stones. Thank you for all the suggestions.

  • Helen Bleazard Helen Bleazard on Sep 03, 2018

    Hi there. So many options to choose from. I think it also all depends on what you want to spend on the project. You need to take a look at varios options that suit your pocket.

    Here are a few pics to get some inspiration from.

    Good luck

  • Margiebirds Margiebirds on Sep 03, 2018

    The landscaping is beautiful! Congrats on the new home.


    First decide the traffic that will occur in this area. Next determine the climate that will affect the area: water, ice, snow, high and/or low temperatures. Also consider how long the surface needs to last. Don’t forget to consider things like will the kids pick up the rocks and throw them, or dig the bricks up to build their own garage or find out where the bugs are hiding. Then, consider your budget, ability to DIY and how much time you can dedicate to the project. Once you can answer these questions, it is much easier to determine the surface treatments you can use. Search for treatment ideas online as well as look at what others in your area are doing. Next shop for the materials and tools (and include your time) versus the cost of hiring the project done by a professional.


    For me, I need to consider whether the surface will allow a walker, wheelchair or a baby stroller to easily move over it. I must consider whether the surface will allow snow removal without destroying the surface. (Unfortunately I also have to decide if a burrowing animal (gopher) can ruin my surface.) I do not want to do a short-term gravel in anticipation of redoing something later, since my ability to do (or pay for) a new surface will get worse over the next 10-15 years and I do not plan to sell my home in the immediate future, concrete installed professionally was most cost-effective, and time efficient. It matches the surfaces I already have. It also best matches my needs. I would love to have beautiful hand-laid stones, pavers, tiles or bricks, but they would not hold up well for icey snow removal, and would make stroller, walker and wheel chair use uncomfortable. For garden paths (not front door entry) the more decorative stone or brick paths could work, since they would usually only be used in the warmer weather, could be pest-proofed with hardware cloth and might have less traffic wear and tear. I could do small sections at a time, depending on how my knees and back are feeling.


    Good luck and have fun with with your project!

  • Ellis Ellis on Sep 04, 2018

    What a nice area you have to work with. I would do it in either bluestone (pricey, though) or in a man-made paver in a color to complement your house. I wouldn't try to match the house brick, that's almost impossible to do and always ends up looking "off."